


to strike a match

by The_German_Grim_Reaper



Series: The Marvel Games [1]
Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Runaways (TV 2017), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Hunger Games AU, I have no idea if I'll ever get back to this, Multi, On Hiatus, Prequel, but there is a lot of it in the sequel, characters listed by district (not plot importance), note: there is no major character death or violence in THIS fic, or possibly just abandoned, so bear that in mind
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:15:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24775981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_German_Grim_Reaper/pseuds/The_German_Grim_Reaper
Summary: It's the 7th annual Hunger Games.  Twenty-four teenagers are selected to compete.  Last man standing wins- and everyone else dies.But this is not that story.  This is not the Games, the split-second decisions that can save a life or end it.  This is what happens before.  This is the Reapings, the interviews, the training, the parade.  This is the beginning... of the end.(on indefinite hiatus)
Relationships: Jane Foster/Thor, Jean Grey/Scott Summers, Karolina Dean/Nico Minoru, Pre-Relationship - Relationship
Series: The Marvel Games [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1791883
Comments: 7
Kudos: 4





	1. Natasha

**Author's Note:**

> haha I'm back bitches with the first chapter of the prequel. I've just got a few things to say here:
> 
> 1\. This is a prequel, so although it will have the same characters as "fire & blood", the events of that fic have not happened yet. Obviously.
> 
> 2\. I'll be doing my best to focus on characters that didn't get much of a spotlight in "fire & blood," but obviously there are some characters I prefer to write over others, so this is more of a guideline than a rule.
> 
> 3\. There will be a total of 12 chapters- one POV from each District.
> 
> 4\. These chapters will be slightly shorter than in "fire & blood," because there's only one POV per chapter and I'm not great at drawing things out. Chapters will probably average at a little over 1000 words.
> 
> 5\. I might update three times a week, or I might go six months between chapters. Nobody knows, not even me. However, I can promise I'll always respond to comments within a day or so. If I stop replying to comments, something is wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we have everyone's favorite spider from District Two, present and accounted for at her own reaping!

Natasha Romanoff stood in line, internally scoffing at how fearful some of the younger children looked.This was Reaping Day.Didn’t they _know_ that someone would volunteer for them if they were chosen?Honestly, it was as if they had no faith in the system.

Natasha couldn’t remember a time when she had ever been frightened.She knew that when she was twelve- the first time she was eligible for a Reaping- she had been more focused on her ballet lessons than the possibility of dying painfully.Just after Reaping Day the next year, when she was thirteen, she had begun training in preparation for the Games.

District Two had won in the second year of the Games, and come close in the first.This had been sheer luck of the draw; in a district known for strong stonemasons and peacekeepers, it wasn’t hard to find strong potential tributes among the older teens.But in the third year, a thirteen-year-old’s name had been drawn.He had died horrifically in the bloodbath, and that was when the mayor authorized the creation of the Red Room to train volunteers.District Two was the only district with such a system, although Natasha had heard rumors that One was in the process of setting up something similar.

Natasha had been the youngest girl chosen in that first year of training, and she had quickly gained a reputation as a prodigy.This year, finally, she was allowed to compete.Originally, the plan had been to wait one more year, but this year’s batch of eighteen-year-olds were subpar at best.She’d beaten all of them in training, and so the Red Room had declared her ready.

District Two had had two male victors already.This year, Natasha was determined to add a woman to the list.

Finally, she reached the front of the line.“Natasha Romanoff, seventeen.”She told the guard, holding her arm out so he could take a blood sample.

It only took a few seconds after the pinprick for the results to show up, and he nodded in satisfaction.“Next!”

Natasha took her place in the crowd next to the other seventeen-year-old girls.She was early; the Reaping wasn’t due to start for another half an hour.To pass the time, she closed her eyes and began to recite battle strategies in her head.

_Play it dirty.Aim for the throat if possible; the knees or the groin if not.If there’s sand, throw it in their eyes.Make alliances only for convenience, but always be the first to break them when they lose their usefulness._

She studied the male tributes across the square.The group of eighteen-year olds was large, but she could clearly see five or six that looked like promising candidates.They were standing a few feet apart from the others, a clear divide between those who had trained and those who had not.

It wasn’t long before the presentation began to play, extolling the virtues of the Capitol and reminding them all what the Games represented.And then, finally, it was time to draw the names.

Norrin Radd, who had won only two Games ago, stepped forward to draw a name from the bowl. His silver-dyed skin reflected the light as he pulled a slip of paper from the bowl. Behind him, Adam Warlock stood silent, the older of the two victors not giving away a trace of emotion.

“For our male tribute, District Two selects Mortimer Toynbee.”He read off of the slip.There was a moment of silence as everyone glanced around, trying to locate the selected tribute.Natasha was one of the first to find him, a scrawny black-haired boy among the thirteen-year-olds.

“What, are you deaf, Toad?”One of the boys near him whispered.“That’s you!”

The boy’s face drained of color.He hesitated only momentarily, then turned and began to run in the opposite direction of the stage.No one made a move to stop him; they were all too startled.Before he could reach the edge of the square, however, a Peacekeeper grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him to the ground.

There was a moment of silence, and then, “I volunteer as tribute.”Natasha’s head snapped around to see a tall, well-muscled boy with tan skin and brown hair.He had to be nearing his nineteenth birthday, judging by his size. He made his way to the stage slowly, shoulders tense.He kept glancing at where Toynbee was now being dragged off by a group of three Peacekeepers.

 _He has potential,_ Natasha thought to herself, _but he’s nervous.He shouldn’t be so distracted by the boy._

Still, nobody else seemed to notice his slip-up, so she supposed it must not have been that obvious.At least, not to those that hadn’t been trained to notice every detail, no matter how slight.Or perhaps they were simply so distracted by the fact that someone had tried to escape that they weren’t paying enough attention to their real tribute.

“And your name, sir?”Their escort, a pink-haired girl who couldn’t be much older than Natasha, questioned.She was new this year, and she kept chewing on her lip when she thought no one was looking.

He spoke in a low, gruff voice.Even with her acute senses, Natasha couldn’t quite make out what he said, but the escort turned to speak into the microphone.“Let’s have a round of applause for our newest volunteer, Erik Lehnsherr!”

There was a moment of hesitation before the crowd began to applaud.Their previous escort hadn’t been anywhere near this peppy.

“And now for the girls.”She motioned for Radd to draw the next name.As he did so, Natasha stepped forward.

“There’s no need for that.”She called out.“I volunteer.”

Radd’s face cracked into a smile, but the pink-haired girl just looked confused.“Um, it’s tradition that we call the name first.”She hedged.

Natasha gave her a sickly sweet smile as she reached the steps to the stage.“Are you asking or telling?”

The girl flushed in embarrassment. “Alright, then.”The she said.“I guess we have a volunteer.”

Natasha didn’t wait to be prompted, instead stepping in front of the microphone herself.“Natasha Romanoff.”She said, still wearing that too-sweet smile.

The escort nodded.“Erik Lehnsherr and Natasha Romanoff, our tributes from District Two!”

Natasha’s smile grew as she looked over the crowd.Thousands of people, all of them counting on her to win the Games and make them proud.

She wouldn’t let them down.


	2. Thor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I kind of need to explain myself before this chapter.
> 
> In the Hunger Games series, District 5 is power and District 6 is technology. I know this. I am aware of it. But that doesn't change the fact that, inside my own head, I had it the other way around. It felt weird switching it so long after picking the tributes (I mean, Bruce Banner being from transportation? Just doesn't fit imo) so I decided to just stick with what I originally had.
> 
> This chapter mentions District 5 being transportation. That might not be hunger games canon, but that is *my* canon, along with several other details mentioned throughout the fic(s).

Thor Odinson had no plans to enter the Games.

To start with, he didn’t know how to fight.He was strong, yes- _freakishly_ strong, his brother always liked to remind him- but untrained.He also didn’t think he would be able to kill anyone.It just wasn’t in his nature.Besides, his name was only in the running seven times, and there were nearly thirty thousand residents living in District Five.All of that goes to say that, when he walked into the factory on Reaping Day, he did not expect to find himself on the stage.

District Five didn’t have any kind of central square or marketplace to hold the Reaping.It was just too _big_.Being the district of transportation, they had a sprawling system of trains just to get around their own district.This had lead to them becoming the largest District not only in size, but also in population, because they simply had so much room to grow.There was just no square big enough to hold all of the eligible tributes, so once a year they shut down production in the largest factory, moved out all of the machinery, and gathered in there.

Thor arrived on time- barely- only because of his mother’s intervention.Without her, he probably would have slept through the whole thing.As it was, he arrived only seconds before the doors closed, and he was sure he looked like a mess.

His brother, Loki, gave him a disbelieving look as he took his place among the other seventeen-year-old boys.They were less than a year apart in age, and despite Thor being the elder of the two, his brother always seemed the more mature.“Shut up.”He muttered, clasping his hands behind his back and trying to look as though he had not just been running through the streets to get here.

Loki smirked.“I didn’t say anything.”

“But you were going to.”

Loki hummed in agreement.He didn’t say anything else, because at that moment, Odin was taking the stage.

Their father was the mayor of District Five.He had been for as long as Thor could remember, having been appointed by the Capitol when Thor was just a baby.He had a reputation for being wise, strong, and- unfortunately- for giving long speeches.

( _Honestly_ , Thor thought.When _he_ became mayor- as he was sure he would- he would waste less time on speeches.It was ridiculous.)

“Many welcomes to all our residents of District Five.And a warm welcome to our friends from the Capitol as well.I, Odin Allfather, am honored to announce…”

And on and on it went.Thor zoned out after only a few minutes, focusing instead on finding his friends in the crowd.He was the youngest one in his friend group, aside from Loki of course.Fandral, Hogun, and Sif were all eighteen, while Volstagg was nineteen and therefore not eligible for the Reaping.

He and Sif had dated for a while when they were thirteen, before she realized she preferred girls over boys.Their friends never ceased to tease them about it. Thor never failed to blush.

Finally, it was time to call the names.“I can’t wait to go home after this.”Thor muttered to his brother.“Do you think I can convince Mother to make us a roast duck for dinner?”

Loki gave him a disapproving look.Thor sighed.His brother could be _such_ a wet blanket sometimes.

“Our female tribute from District Five… Gertrude Yorkes!”Odin called.Thor couldn’t see her through the crowd until she was almost to the stage, a mousey brown-haired girl who couldn’t be older than sixteen.He looked away, uncomfortable at the thought that they were sending her away to die.There was a smattering of applause around them, but Thor couldn’t bring himself to join in.

“And the male tribute from District Five,” Odin continued, drawing a name out of the other bowl, “is… no, there must be some mistake.”

Thor’s head snapped up to look at his father, a furrow in his brow.There were no mistakes with the Reaping.To even suggest such a thing… the Capitol wouldn’t be happy.

“The male tribute from District Five is Loki Odinson.”

Thor’s entire world stopped.Beside him, he felt Loki go rigid.No, this couldn’t be happening.Loki’s name was only in seven times.Seven names in ten thousand.The odds of his name being drawn were _astronomically_ low.

 _But then_ , his traitorous brain reminded him, _the odds were that low for every one of them.And_ somebody _’s name had to come out._

Loki was almost to the stage.He glanced back at Thor, a desperate plea in his eyes.Thor was moving before he knew what he was doing.

“Stop!”He shouted.Loki froze in place, as did everyone else who had been craning their heads to see him.

A dark look passed over Odin’s face.

“You will not take my brother.”He insisted.

“The boy was reaped.”One of the peacekeepers told him.“He has to go.”

Thor looked to his father for help, but Odin just shook his head.He had never looked older than he did in that moment.While Thor was practically shaking with emotion, Odin just looked… calm.“My son, do not do this.”He pleaded.

Well.Fine, then.If Odin wasn’t going to do anything, Thor would have to do it himself.“I volunteer to take my brother’s place.”He announced.

A wave of shock rippled through the crowd.Still, Thor couldn’t bring himself to feel any regrets as he marched past his brother, not daring to look him in the eye for fear of what he might find there.

“Thor, you idiot!”Loki hissed, pushing his brother backwards.Thor’s back slammed into the wall of the Justice Building, but he made no move to fight back.“You’re going to die out there.”

“Better me than you.”He argued.“At least I have a chance- and don’t look at me like that, you know it’s true.”

Loki’s expression softened slightly.His eyes were wild with emotion- anger, betrayal, gratefulness, relief.“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I did.”Thor insisted.“You know I couldn’t just let them take you.You’re my brother.”

Loki sighed, all the anger suddenly draining away.“I’ll miss you.”He said simply.“Don’t die out there.”

“I won’t.”Thor promised him.“I’ll come home to you and Mother.I’ll make our father proud.”

Mother came next, ushered into the room as the Peacekeepers led Loki away.“Oh, my darling boy, I’m so sorry.Stay safe for me, Thor.”

After a long and tearful hug, followed by a kiss on the forehead, it was time for his mother to leave.Thor sat down in his chair and glanced at the clock.He had a little over an hour before the train would leave for the Capitol.He hoped his father wouldn’t be long; there was so much he wanted to say to him.

His father didn’t come.


	3. Mantis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ugh, not super happy with this one. but I haven't posted in so long that I just want to get *something* out there, you know?
> 
> anyway, I started college last week, so that's been fun. I'm sure they'll send us home within a month, but it's nice while it lasts. I hope everybody is doing ok and staying healthy!

“You want to make her eyes _bigger_?”One of the stylists was asking, looking rather confused by this.“But they’re already so big!”

“They’re her best feature!”One of the other stylists argued.“We need to enhance them!”

“They don’t need to be enhanced!Come on, just help me figure out which lip color to give her!”

Mantis looked between the two of them, one finger drumming a nervous beat on her leg.Neither of them was paying her any attention anymore, and the parade was in two hours.

Then again, two hours was a long time… Mantis stood up from her chair and slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

She’d made it almost all the way down the hall before stopping.What was she doing?This was the Capitol, she couldn’t be wandering around aimlessly.There were cameras and Peacekeepers and… and… and… other tributes?

She frowned.But no, he was definitely right there.A boy about her age, although he had muscles like a bodybuilder, was leaning against the wall outside of one of the styling rooms.

“Um… hello.”She greeted him hesitantly.He was big, and therefore he was scary, but she needed to make friends.That was what her escort had told her- if she didn’t make friends, she was going to die on the first day.

He looked over at her, and for the first time Mantis was struck by just how grumpy he looked.He took a step away from the wall, and she drew back.

“Hello.”He replied gruffly.“I’m going to the cafeteria.”

With that, he turned and marched away.Mantis paused.Had that been an invitation, or was he just letting her know?After a brief hesitation, she hurried to catch up.

He was the first to break the silence.“I am going to win.”He told her.

She blinked, looking up at him with wide black eyes.“Oh.”

“It will be very good.”He assured her.“The other tributes will not stand a chance.”

They had reached the cafeteria.“The… others?”Mantis asked hopefully, sliding into a chair across from the boy’s.

“Yes.”

“My name is Mantis.”She offered.“I’m thirteen.”

“Drax.”He replied simply.He then poked at an item on the menu, looking absolutely delighted when it lit up and a waiter immediately began carrying something over to them.

Mantis looked up at the waiter to thank him.She didn’t recognize the dish in his hand, but it was only polite to thank people, after all.However, she stopped short of speaking.

The boy’s eyes were sunken in, like he hadn’t slept for weeks.His black hair was cropped short, revealing a still-fading bruise on his temple.And, perhaps most alarming of all, his tongue was dangling out of his mouth, reaching almost to the bottom of his chin.It looked strangely deformed, and the entire thing was the dark purple of a bruise.

She swallowed.“Thank you.”She managed to say.He said nothing in response, just nodded once and walked away.She turned back to Drax.

He was busy nibbling on a piece of the strange food, and didn’t seem to have noticed the boy.When it became clear that Drax wasn’t going to say anything, Mantis leaned forward.“That boy.”She whispered.“What was wrong with him?”

Drax just frowned at her.

“He looked like he hadn’t slept, and his tongue…”She trailed off with a shudder.

“He is one of the Brood.”Drax explained to her before popping an entire shrimp into his mouth.

“Oh,” she said quietly.She had heard of the Brood.They were slaves of the Capitol, people from the districts who had tried to run away or rebel.Usually the Capitol cut _out_ the tongues, but apparently this time they’d tried something new.“Do you… do you want to be in an alliance?”

He scoffed.“With a child like you?I won’t need any allies to win.I can do it all on my own.”

Mantis flinched at his words.Then she stood up, pushing the bowl of shrimp over to his side of the table.“Fine.”She snapped.“I’ll find my own way.And you know what?I bet I’m gonna outlast _you_.”

And with that, she stalked out of the room.Of course, she’d barely made it to the hallway by the time she practically collapsed against the wall, gasping for air like her life depended on it.Had she really just done that?Not only had she been brave enough to seek out an alliance on her own, but she’d also yelled at him and made an enemy when he rejected her?Oh, god, she was going to die on the first day.

“That was brave, what you said in there.”A quiet voice came from beside her.Mantis tensed up, slowly turning to look.The blonde tribute from Six was there, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.She was so much taller than Mantis, but there was something about her demeanor that made Mantis relax.

“He’s right, though.”She said miserably.“I can’t hunt, I can’t fight, I can barely even talk to people without messing up.I’ll be lucky to make it past the bloodbath.”

“You won’t be in the bloodbath.”The older girl corrected her.“The sooner you can get away from the Cornucopia, the better.Those supplies won’t do anything for you if you’re too dead to use them.”

Mantis looked up at her with wide, dark eyes.“Why are you helping me?”She asked tentatively.

The girl knelt down so they were at the same height.“Because,” she told Mantis with a reassuring smile, “we’re going to be allies.And I’m not about to let my newest ally die all alone.”

Unsure of herself, Mantis nodded.

“I’m Carol, by the way.”The blonde girl told her.“What’s your name?”

“I’m Mantis.”

Carol smiled at her.“Nice to meet you, Mantis.Now, come on, I’m sure your stylists must be looking for you.”


End file.
